Swept Away
by Ariel119
Summary: Like many others, this is a continuation of the season finale, the way I would have written it. COMPLETE. See "Love Or Something Like It" for sequel.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Look, I know I'm not the easiest person to get to know, and I don't always let on what's on my mind, but…this past year, working with you, I've had a really good time…" Kate said, with a small smile.

"Yeah, me too…" Castle said, watching her carefully.

"So, I'm just gonna say this, and probably make a fool of myself doing it." She paused, taking a deep breath and working up the nerve to continue.

"Foolish is one of the last adjectives I would ever use to describe you, and since being a writer makes me a expert on adjectives…." He winked.

"ANYway, as I said, I know I am hard to get to know, but I would like to change that, and I think a weekend in the Hamptons might just be the perfect opportunity" Kate blurted out, biting her lip.

Castle's eyes widened. Did she really just say that, or was he dreaming? "I'm sorry, the beer must be going to my head. Did you just agree to come with me to the beach house?"

She smiled, a bit ruefully. "Aww, c'mon Castle, are you going to make me beg? YES, I said I would like to go away with you. I think we have something special here, the way we finish one another's sentences, it's like we're one mind sometimes. And you have a way of making me smile, even when I want to be mad at you. I just would like to see if this relationship has more to it than the work stuff."

The whole time she was talking, Castle's head was spinning a bit. He could hardly believe his ears. All of the morning coffees, the flirting, the saving her life, twice, he had hoped he was getting through to her how important she was to him, but then seeing her in the hall with Demming… Hold on, what ABOUT Demming? What was she doing about the pretty boy….

"First of all, most likely I will be the one doing the begging, and enjoying every second of it. But we seem to be skipping an important detail here, and I know how you are about details. What happened to Demming the wonder boy?"

"Gave him his walking papers…I told him that though he was a great guy, he wasn't what I was looking for right now" Becket said, shaking her head.

"And that would be…. Please say 'A ruggedly handsome, yet boyishly charming, witty, successful author who is a heck of a shot'… See, the begging has started already" he said, folding his hands as if in prayer and giving her his very best puppy dog eyes.

She rolled her eyes at that. "More like egomaniacal pain in my butt. BUT you make my life interesting, and as I said, I want to see if there's more where that came from. SO, handsome, I give you permission to sweep me off my feet, and whisk me away to your little paradise."

He gave a sideways glance toward the conference room window, where Lanie, Ryan, Esposito, and the captain had been watching this whole exchange, wishing they could read lips.

"Sweeping you off your feet sounds like a fantastic idea, however it would make for a VERY public declaration of my considerable affections." He jerked his head toward them. "I hear there has even been wagering involved about when and how this would resolve" He stepped toward her. "As much as I would love to make somebody a winner…I would NEVER want to embarrass you with a public display you weren't comfortable with…."

"So, Detective Beckett, since you made the first move, I am going to let you make the next call. Do we go back in there like nothing has happened here, or do we walk away now, hand in hand, and get started on our weekend? And let me give you fair warning, if you thought I was an outrageous flirt before, wait till we are alone, the gloves are OFF"

Kate looked up at him and grinned, then met Lanie's eyes through the window. Lanie was as good with body language as she was with the body of evidence, and she had pretty well figured out what Kate was up to. Lanie slowly nodded at Kate and gave her a subtle thumbs-up.

Beckett smiled again, and held out her hand to Castle. He took her slightly trembling hand in his and squeezed gently. As they turned to walk away, they both looked back and waved at the team. Everyone in the conference room waved back enthusiastically.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

As they entered the elevator, Kate started to speak, but found she needed to clear her throat. She was still a bit in shock that she had done it. Finally telling Rick how she really felt was like stepping onto a bridge, hoping that happiness was waiting for her on the other side.

She tried again…"Um so what now, how do we do this? When do we leave?"

Rick appraised her with one raised eyebrow and a sly grin. "Well, we could leave immediately, if you are game for a clothing optional weekend…OW oww Apples Apples!" he yelped as she reached for the pinky finger of the hand she was clasping and bent it backward.

She let go and he pretended to pout, just for a second. "That's police brutality, but I could get used to it. Tell you what, my bags are packed and in the rental car, I was going to leave right from my little send-off party, do you need a ride to your apartment or shall I follow you? I am not letting you out of my sight and risk your changing your mind." he said with a wink.

"You will just have to follow me , but only as far as my embarrassing car. My, um , bags are actually packed, too, I was expecting to leave with Tom today…" she said, and looked away. Was she right to do this? This morning she was set to spend a weekend with Demming, and now here she was about to be taken to Castle's 'Sand Castle' where she would be…what.. a conquest?

She looked up again and found he was staring at her, worried, no, scared that she was having second thoughts, and her mind played back all of the other emotions she had seen written in those eyes, his pain when she was with Demming, his amusement when she told him she had become used to him yanking her pigtails, and that almost indescribable look he gave her as he told her he had heard "everything" her schoolmate had said during the interrogation, including how she, Becket was "hot for Castle". She reminded herself of how she felt when he said he was going away to write, how much she would miss him.

She took a deep breath and smiled, and he smiled back, looking relieved. "You know what, I need to make one quick call, then let's grab your bags and go" he said.

They went to her car and grabbed her bags, then headed for his rental. Instead of heading for the Long Island Expressway, however, he headed to the airport, and led her to a charter plane. "I decided I didn't want to waste one minute of our precious weekend together sitting in traffic. We can be sipping daiquiris on the patio in half an hour."

She rolled her eyes. It was so typical of him, there was that 12 year old wanting instant gratification. On the other hand, being with a guy who could snap his fingers and have a jet ready and waiting was pretty cool. "I guess membership DOES have its privileges…" she said.

"Speaking of memberships…"he said, with a gleam in his eye.

"Do NOT mention the mile high club, remember, I still carry a gun"

She had barely unclenched her jaw from takeoff when the pilot signaled that they were ready to land. Rick had not yet let go of her hand, but with his other hand he was fiddling and texting on his phone. She assumed he was trying to wave off his editor , publisher, manager, whoever might disturb them.

As they descended the staircase of the plane a white limousine was waiting on the tarmac. The driver opened the door and Rick gestured "Ladies first."

Kate slid into the car . On the long seat was a multi-color bouquet of roses wrapped in cellophane. She picked up the delicate blossoms and inhaled their scent. It was then that she noticed the small envelope. The card read "For the woman who Heats up my life. Love, Rick"

She turned to look at him, amazed. "You arranged all this, right under my nose?"

"Just think what I am capable of when I have some time to plan it out. You, my dear Detective, are in for one hell of a courtship." He stretched his arm along the back of the seat and she leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. It had been a long day, and she closed her eyes to rest for a moment, when she felt the car slowing down. She opened her eyes and gasped.

They had pulled into the circular driveway of an enormous house. The façade was covered in pale gray stone and there were huge bay windows everywhere. Looking past the house into the yard, Kate could see sand, then…ocean. He wasn't exaggerating.

By the time she was finished taking in the view, the driver had unloaded all of the luggage in the front hallway. Rick held out his hand to her and said "Come on, let me give you the 5 cent tour." He led her through room after incredible room, living room/theater, indoor pool, huge kitchen, and upstairs, there were 4 bedrooms.

The earth tone one was his, pink for Alexis, green for Martha, naturally. Then he circled back to his room and passed it. "The guest room for you, to prove my intentions are honorable". He led her inside the room and pointed out the closet, the bathroom, and one additional door. He opened that one and she glimpsed earth tones on the other side. He pointed out that the connector door had locks on her side, but not his. "If you should get lonely in here, I welcome the company" He cocked an eyebrow at her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

She nodded at that, "Thanks, I will keep it in mind" which surprised him a little, he'd actually braced himself for a slap, but then he noticed she was looking troubled again. He hooked a finger under her chin and gently pulled so that she met his gaze. "What is it?" he asked, his voice soft

"Just nerves," she replied, "after all, this is the beginning of a whole new chapter, no pun intended."

"Tell you what. This weekend is supposed to be about relaxation, and fun. You certainly are not relaxed at the moment, and watching you stress is not what I call fun. Let me fix you a drink. What's your pleasure? The bar is fully stocked" he said.

"You mentioned daiquiris, that sounded fine by me."

"Ok, I am on it. Why don't you get changed into something comfortable and come downstairs as soon as you are ready. I will have the drinks waiting on the patio, as promised."

She closed the door behind him and opened her luggage, considering her options. She wanted to feel, and look, relaxed, but she still wanted to look nice for him. She chose a black velour warm-up suit, with a royal blue short sleeve shirt under the jacket. She touched up her makeup and ventured downstairs and out to the patio.

True to his word, he had a tray out on the table with two strawberry daiquiris , garnished with whipped cream and a sliced strawberry. There was also a bowl with a munchy mix, something salty to compliment the sweet. She eased onto one of the lounge chairs and took a sip of her drink. "Excellent, one of the best I have ever had"

"Hmmm maybe if I am lucky you will be saying that about ME before the weekend is over. As an insurance policy, there's a LOT more whipped cream where this came from" He smirked, then ducked as a handful of pretzels rained on his head. "No, seriously, I do want you to relax, all of my comments, well _most_ of my comments are just more flirting. I don't want you to feel pressured, but if I stopped trying completely, I wouldn't be _me_."

Kate agreed on that point and then fell silent, watching the shadows shift as the sunlight left the sky. Eventually she rubbed her arms and stood. "It's getting chilly out here, I would like to go inside"

"Where you will give me the opportunity to warm you up?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows. "I give a mean massage….."

"You're on" she replied, causing the eyebrows to stop waggling and shoot skyward. "However, you move those hands ONE inch beyond where I say is OK, and I will break your fingers."

"First of all, you can't do that, I am a writer, I NEED my fingers to type to make my living. Second, what's with the threats of violence?" he asked, pouting.

"To answer your questions in order, you will just have to get one of those fancy speech recognition programs and dictate your writing to it. And, if I stopped threatening you I wouldn't be ME either" she retorted, heading for the patio door.

To Kate's pleasant surprise, there was a fireplace in the living room that she hadn't noticed, which he now turned on before laying a blanket down on the rug in front of it. He sat on the blanket and patted it, beckoning her over. She took off her jacket and laid down on her stomach next to him. He began rubbing her back and shoulders, first on top of the blouse, then under it. She started to roll away with a protest, but he stilled her with an explanation "Skin to skin contact is the most effective. Please trust me?" He found a knot of muscle and began to knead it away. She relaxed so much she nearly fell asleep, until she felt him gently smoothing her shirt back down over her back. She was amazed that he had behaved like such a gentleman.

"C'mon, time for bed. You've had a very long day," he said, standing and pulling her to her feet. He led her upstairs and down the hall to her doorway. He reached in, flicking on the light in her room. "Want me to check for monsters?" he asked, smiling. "Aw, come on, Rick, we both know YOU are the only monster in this house."

His look turned more serious, and he reached out for her, putting a hand behind her neck and pulling her to him, to meet his kiss. She could taste traces of strawberries, cream and rum. The kiss was tender, then passionate, then playful, then…over. He pulled back and eyed her, where she was now leaning on the doorway for support. "There is a saying that holds true in writing as well as acting….'always leave them wanting more.' He smiled and slowly walked backward down the hallway. "Goodnight, dear Kate. Until tomorrow….."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

Kate put her hand to her mouth and watched him retreat. When he was out of sight down the stairs, she stepped into her room and closed the door. "Wow" she whispered. It had been a great first kiss, but that was no surprise, she had always imagined he would be a good kisser, given all the practice he had had. What WAS a surprise is that he let it end there. She was so sure he would turn on the charm full strength and seduce her. She was glad he was pacing himself, though. The anticipation would make it all the better.

She went into the bathroom to wash up, then slipped into her nightgown, a cranberry silk number with lace trim. She pulled back the covers and crawled between the most sumptuous set of sheets she had ever felt. As she fell asleep, she could hear television noises from downstairs.

Castle sat in his easy chair in the den, mindlessly flipping through channels. Idle curiosity made him pause at the entertainment shows, just to see what they were saying about him, his books, and the upcoming movie. But he wasn't' really paying attention, his thoughts were on the woman he had just escorted to bed and left alone? His libido was screaming at him and he wondered briefly if he was losing his touch. But in the end he knew he was smart to play it conservatively, prove to Kate that he wanted more from her, and could give more TO her, than just a good romp in the sack.

He wondered what he should do for her tomorrow. After a few minutes of thinking, he pulled out his phone and started to make the necessary arrangements.

When Kate awoke, the sunlight was streaming through the curtains. It felt good to sleep so late. Just then there was tapping at her door. "Kate, may I come in?" Castle asked. "Sure" she called out, pulling the sheets up around her self-consciously. He opened the door with a tray balanced on one hand. He approached the bed and set the tray down on her lap. "Breakfast is served, my lady" On the tray was French toast, bacon, fruit, and of course, coffee. "Oh you didn't have to go to so much trouble" she said, picking up a fork and digging in. "Mmmmmm but I am glad you did, it's all wonderful, thank you"

"My pleasure" he said, smiling broadly at her. "Glad you are enjoying…." His voice trailed off as he caught the glimpse of nightie when she reached for a napkin. She saw how he was looking at her and smiled. "Glad YOU are enjoying the view, now please get out" " Ok, ok I have something to finish up downstairs anyway. If you would please come down as soon as breakfast is done and you are dressed, I would appreciate it." She nodded and waved goodbye to him with her fork.

When she came downstairs a little later, he nodded his approval. "Shall we go?" he asked, offering her his arm. "Go where?" she asked back, looking confused. "Oh that is part of the surprise" he said with a grin full of mischief. He led her out to the garage and opened the door of a gorgeous dark green convertible Corvette. "How come I have never seen the nice wheels?" she asked. "THIS car in Manhattan? You ARE aware of the rates for auto theft, are you not?" he responded, incredulous. "I thought you worked for the police department."

He drove east, along the coast and she was enjoying the ocean views. They stopped at a few vineyards, sampled some wine and bought a few bottles. Before he would pull out of the last parking lot, he reached into his pocket and withdrew a silk scarf. He turned to her and said "Last night I asked for your trust and proved that I CAN behave myself. Now I am asking you to trust me again." He folded the scarf into a blindfold and motioned her toward him. With a wary, skeptical look, she leaned over and allowed him to tie the blindfold on her. Her detective side told her to pay attention to details, try to figure out what he was up to, but another voice told her to relax and let herself have fun. He drove for another few minutes then stopped. She heard his footsteps crunching on gravel as he came around the car. He paused at the trunk to retrieve something, then opened her door and took her hand to help her out. They walked on gravel, then grass. Finally he said "Ok, you can take the blindfold off now". When she did, they were standing in front of a hot air balloon decorated every color of the rainbow. She turned to look at Castle in amazement, and saw that he had a picnic basket hooked over his arm, with one of the newly acquired wine bottles peeking out. He smiled at her expression of awe, and mentally marked one more in the win column.

Castle helped her into the basket, then handed her the picnic hamper and climbed in himself. He motioned for the operator to take off. As they lifted off, the basket rocked a bit, and Beckett wobbled on her feet, until Rick wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her. Even after the ride smoothed out, he didn't let go, but she made no complaint, just leaned against him and lost herself in the incredible views. When they approached a field near a lake, Castle motioned downward to the operator, and the balloon descended. They landed right near the lake, and Beckett hopped out, followed by Castle, who set the picnic basket down and took out a thin blanket. He spread it out and knelt, unloading the picnic food. He had packed croissants, cheeses, fruit, and as a final touch, oatmeal cookies. "A little bird told me you might like these" as he showed her the cookies. She chuckled at that, and inside her heart was melting. Yes, the extravagant lengths he had gone to to show her a good time had scored him more than a few brownie points. But the simple thoughtfulness of the cookie gesture was worth almost as much. She watched him finishing a cookie and noticed a few crumbs on one corner of his mouth. She leaned over and reached to brush them away, then kissed him with all of the passion she was feeling.

He leaned back, taking her with him, then rolled so they were on their sides, face to face. When they came up for air a few minutes later, he grinned as though he had just played THE winning hand at his poker game. "So, the way to your heart is through your stomach, I thought that was only us guys!"

She grinned back at him, and kissed him again. Inside he was overjoyed that she was responding so well to him, but still he martialed every bit of restraint he had. 'Not yet' he told himself, 'the timing has to be perfect'. He pulled away and sat up. "As much as I would LOVE to stay here and let you have your way with me, I am going to have to ask you to hold that thought, because the day still has more in store for us." He put away the remains of the picnic and stood up, then held out his hand to help her to her feet. Together they folded up the blanket and headed back to the balloon. On the ride back to the launch site, they took in a perfect sunset and shared another brief kiss.

Once they were back in the car, Castle drove them to an elegant restaurant. As he rolled to a stop, a valet attendant approached and opened her door. She ignored him for the moment and turned to Castle. "Um, I am NOT dressed for a place like this. Come to think of it, neither are you." He smiled and headed to the trunk again, where he produced two garment bags. He handed her one and said "The restrooms are right off the lobby. I will be waiting for you in the bar." He ushered her inside then disappeared toward the men's room. She stepped into the ladies room, nodded at the attendant, then walked into a stall and unzipped the garment bag. She gasped as she revealed a pale blue chiffon dress. There were even shoes in the bottom of the garment bag, as well as a matching beaded purse 'HOW did he DO it?' she asked herself. 'He thought of everything!' She put on the beautiful dress and shoes, then stowed her street clothes in the garment bag, emerged from the stall and checked the mirror. She brushed her hair, windblown from the convertible and the hot air balloon ride. She applied makeup from the small kit in her purse (when exactly had she started carrying make-up, anyway?), then transferred a few essentials to the small beaded purse. As she turned to go, the attendant offered to check her garment bag for her.

Kate stepped out of the bathroom and went to the bar looking for Castle. She found him, in a dark blue classic tailored suit, with a tie the same color as her dress. Funny how the color combination brought out the blue of his eyes, she thought. His face lit up as he spotted her. They met in the middle, and he kissed her on the cheek, whispering in her ear "You look stunning."

They were shown to a table in a secluded corner. A candle burned within a crystal bowl, throwing little rainbows all over the tablecloth. Rick held her chair and pushed it in for her, before taking his seat. The waiter approached and Rick ordered champagne and appetizers. When the waiter retreated, Castle took Kate's hand across the table. "On second thought, I think that outfit needs something…" he said, producing a box from his pocket. The box was robin's egg blue with a white ribbon. He watched her eyes go wide.

'_Oh God' _ Beckett thought '_Only ONE store wraps their merchandise that way. Tiffany's'_"

"How did you have time…" she sputtered. He shook his head. "I have been holding this for a while. You must know that my feelings for you have been building for quite some time. I finally found a gift that was worthy of you, I have just been waiting for the right moment. Please open it?"

She untied the ribbon and lifted the lid, to find a platinum choker length necklace with two diamond slides on it. "Each one of those diamonds commemorates a moment when you deeply affected my life. The first is just for walking into my life and being so different. The second is for the time you shot Coonan to keep him from shooting me. I have a feeling that many more of those gems will be forthcoming, since I don't intend to stop shadowing you, and I can't seem to keep myself out of trouble."

Tears filled her eyes. He said "May I help you put it on?" and rose when she nodded. He fastened the clasp for her, then ran his hand along her cheek to wipe away the tear.

The re-appearance of the waiter saved her from having to speak just then. She took a sip of the champagne, to help clear the lump in her throat. "Thank you, Rick"

Through the rest of dinner they chatted about the little details of their lives. Just after they had ordered dessert, Castle cocked his head slightly as if listening to something. Strains of music reached her ear, too. "You know, I have been dying to get you in my arms on a dance floor again, ever since the charity gala. It felt SO good holding you. Please dance with me again?" She nodded, blushing. He stood and held out his hand to her, and she let him lead her to the dance floor. He was right, it felt pretty good to her too. When the song ended he kissed her softly and took her back to their table. They ate dessert and then decided to call it a night. On the drive back to the beach house, she thanked him again, for everything.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

Castle unlocked the door and ushered Beckett inside. She could feel his warm hand on the small of her back. "So…..I thought I would go for a swim, would you care to join me?" he asked.

"Castle, it's dark and the ocean is probably still freezing, it's only the end of May!" Beckett responded, shaking her head.

"In the POOL, silly woman, in the pool. Lights, heat, and with you in there, more heat." He raised one eyebrow suggestively.

"Wow, Castle, still working hard to get me into a bathing suit, huh?"

"Actually," he said, his voice dropping to a low rumble "I intend to work hard to get you _out_ of it."

She smiled, sauntered up to him, and whispered "Try it and I will handcuff you, ok?" and patted his cheek.

"Promises, promises. You DID bring them, then?" he asked, looking way too hopeful.

She shook her head again and started for the stairs. He went after her and grabbed her hand. "C'mon, please, at least keep me company" he asked.

"Ok, a swim might actually be fun. Let me get changed."

"That's more like it!" he said.

When she entered the pool room a few minutes later, he was already swimming laps. She admired the definition in the muscles of his back. She wondered when he made time to work out, since he always seemed to be her shadow.

She walked to the edge of the pool and stood where she figured he would be ending his next lap.

He reached the wall and came up for air, but when he glanced up he discovered he needed MORE air. Beckett was standing there, her arms folded, so he couldn't see the details of the bathing suit top, but he was psyched to see she had chosen a two-piece. He made a pretense of wiping water from his face to cover the giddy grin. "Come on in, the water's fine". She lowered herself into the pool, and now he could see that the top of the bathing suit was shockingly skimpy. He stopped staring, worried she would get self conscious and change her mind. With a final glance he noted that it tied at her neck and the middle of her back. Hmmm strings like that had a way of "accidentally" coming undone. He wondered how badly she would hurt him if he tried it. He decided it would be worth it. A plan was forming in his mind. For now he would behave, let her lower her guard.

They simply swam for a while, then they got competitive and started to race. At last they stopped, hanging on to the wall and breathing heavily. "Wow, it's been a while since anyone gave me a run for my money like that, not since Alexis was working for her lifesaving badge" he said, stretching. "Listen, I am going to jump in the hot tub so my muscles don't cramp. You should, too."

"Hot tub?" She followed the direction of his finger, pointing into the corner. She smiled. This was a secret weakness of hers, so much so that she was willing to risk him trying anything. "Ok, great idea"

He did a double take at that. He assumed it would be much harder to get her to agree.

She watched him climb out of the pool, thinking "Cute butt, too", then pulled herself up the ladder. He fiddled with the controls to get the jets going, then motioned to the tub. "After you" he said, allowing him the opportunity to check out HER tush. When she was seated, he bent down and pulled out two glasses and a bottle of wine from a refrigerator concealed in the frame of the tub. He poured a glass for each of them, then got into the hot tub himself. He took a sip then put the glass down in one of the recessed holders, inching closer to her as he did so. When she leaned back and closed her eyes, he scooted right up next to her. She opened her eyes and shot him a "what are you doing" look.

He held up his hands. "Don't shoot, this is where one of the good jets is." "Riiiiight" she said. She watched his face change, from the "who, me?" grin to something more somber, as his eyes roamed over her face. "You are truly beautiful, you know that?" He leaned over and kissed her then, long and slow. She turned toward him and kissed him in return, running her hands along his back and neck. He started caressing HER neck and back, and thanks to the combination of feelings running high and the bubbling warm water, it was some time before she noticed he had undone BOTH ties of the bathing suit top. What actually caught her attention was that when she opened her eyes, she noticed it bobbing just below the water surface next to them.

He was staring at her intently, but then she saw his eyes flick downward, trying to sneak a peek. So typical, so juvenile. Might as well be mirrors on his shoes. Still, she had to admire the deftness with which he pulled it off, no pun intended. He would have done a pickpocket proud. Now the question was, what to do about it?

Pretending not to notice what he had done wouldn't work, he knew she wasn't an idiot. The first remaining choice was to get mad and shut down, which would elicit guilt and profuse apologies from him. Making him squirm _could_ be fun…But it would also bring the romance of the moment to a screeching halt, and she was enjoying it despite herself. The second choice was to just have fun and go with it, then get her revenge later. She already had an idea about how.

She smiled coyly, and said "Well played, Mr. Castle" before kissing him again. When he pulled her closer, she didn't resist, and he delighted in the feel of her against him. They spent the better part of an hour just kissing and exploring one another. "Told you last night, skin to skin is most effective" he said wickedly. "Yes, well MY skin is beginning to get pruny, so I am getting out. I assume you have towels here?" she asked. He barely hid his disappointment when he said, "Sure, behind the curtain there." She got out and wrapped herself in the towel. She bent and dropped a kiss on his forehead. "G'nite, Castle" He sputtered "Wait, wha…? That's it?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Wouldn't want you to compromise your 'honorable intentions'" now would I? she said, and turned and walked away, leaving him there confused as hell.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"_Damnit" _ he thought. What had happened? It had been going perfectly, how had he screwed up? He was so worked up he couldn't think straight. Of course that seemed to be happening more frequently lately. He hauled himself out of the hot tub and stalked to the door leading to the patio.

Upstairs, Beckett had managed to get to the window of her room fast enough to watch Castle emerge onto the patio and make a bee line for the surf. Without pausing, he dove right into the ocean. She laughed, loud. What was the saying, revenge was best served COLD? But she wasn't' done with him yet, oh no.

Castle came back from the beach, through the pool room. He contemplated the hot tub but decided it would only remind him of the state Kate left him in. He went upstairs to his room and turned on the hot shower. When his head cleared he realized, she had found a payback far more effective than shooting him or cuffing him. And he had deserved it. He knew how she might react and he had accepted the risk.

He dried off from the shower and pulled on a pair of silk boxers. He climbed into bed. He read for a little while (_Woman: An Intimate Geography_, the research never stopped) then turned out the bedside lamp.

In the next room, Beckett was sitting and waiting. She had seen him come back from the water, had almost felt him stomping upstairs, had heard the water running. Now the crack under the door went black. She smiled. Ten more minutes and she heard soft snoring through the door. She went to the connecting door and slid the lock open. Having seen his room that first night, she remembered where the bed was in relation to the doors. She easily felt her way over to the bed. In her hand she had the scarf that he had used to blindfold her that day. She had already made a loop on one end, which she now slipped over his hand. She quickly tied the other end to one of the bars in the headboard. THAT woke him up, but he still wasn't fast enough to avoid the cuff on the other hand being fastened to the headboard.

"Wow. You really weren't kidding when we were working the Mistress Venom thing and you said there were many things I didn't know about you. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely a pleasant" He broke off with a gasp as she straddled him. He noted with interest that the nightgown pooling on his stomach and legs was soft, silk, and he fervently hoped he would have the opportunity to see the rest of it.

Her voice re-directed his attention. "What's this, the great Richard Castle at a loss for words? I thought words were your whole life!" He was still speechless, and she chuckled to herself. This might be the ONLY time she would ever have complete control of him, and the power was intoxicating. She got a thrill knowing that in the darkness, he could only guess at what was coming next, and he so liked to be able to KNOW. She grew bolder, and leaned over, kissing his lips, then his ear, moving down to his neck, chest, and stomach. All she heard from him were low moans then, finally, "Kate, please, I _need _to touch you. Please untie me."

"That's all I wanted to hear. Sleep well sweetie" she said, and made her way back to the connecting door. "No, no no, please, I am begging now!"he cried.

She returned to the his bedside, and the light snapped on just as she got there. The scarf hand was free. Dammit how had he done that?. "Didn't I tell you my research included escaping these situations? I admit the cuffs are trickier, so please just get the key. I can do it but it involves a very uncomfortable dislocation." "The…the k-key?" Kate said weakly, her face going pale then blushing to the roots of her hair. "Oh, God.,. on my keyring…. in my desk…. at the station… house." She trailed off. She was mortified.

"WHAT?" Castle exclaimed. "Oh this is great. Do you have ANY idea how it will look to have to call a locksmith at this hour? And my options are to pay extra, a LOT extra, to insure his discretion, or else we will just have to pray that the tabloids don't get a hold of it. 'Noted author in scandal' And poor Alexis won't be able to show her face in school."

Kate was so horrified, she just put her head in her hands. "I am sorry, SO so sorry, it was impulse, I was just playing but for the first time I didn't think it through and now, oh GOD…" She paused, noticing that the bed was shaking. She looked back at him to see he was laughing, silently but hysterically.

"Oh Kate, honey, much as I would love to watch you twist in the wind some more, I just can't. Bring me my wallet from the dresser, would you please?" Confused, she handed him the wallet, which he opened and produced…a master cuff key. "I have kept this on me ever since the Tisdale case. It got me free in time to stop that creep, so I have considered it a lucky charm. Plus I never know when you are gonna cuff me again." She took the key from him and released the cuffs, laying them aside.

He got out of bed and pulled her to a stand. He hugged her tightly, then stepped back and looked her up and down. "Very nice. A decided improvement on the t-shirts and sweats. Now comes the vital question…can I persuade you to stay in here with me tonight?"

"How did you intend to try to persuade me?" she asked, with one hand on her hip.

"Welllllll I thought I would start by pointing out that the imagination, the creativity that is vital to good writing is also a major asset in…ahem... shall we say other pursuits…?".

"And if that didn't work for you?" she asked.

"Then I just planned to kiss you until you were too weak-kneed to walk away from me." He said with a grin.

She smiled, then took a deep breath and got serious. She stepped forward, nodded slowly, then kissed him. This time there would be no games, no delay tactics. She cared so deeply for him she couldn't believe it. He ran his hands over the smooth nightgown, over her body, down then back up. At her shoulders he hooked his fingers under the straps, holding her gaze as he slipped the straps down and let the nightgown fall to the floor. He scooped her up in his arms and laid her on the bed, sliding in beside her, his eyes on her face as if she might disappear if he glanced away.

He made love to her then, kissing, tasting, caressing every part of her and she returned every move. She sensed that he needed one thing more from her, a final signal of her acceptance. She reached down and took him into her, and that broke his control. They became frenzied, the power of their feelings nearly overwhelming them. Just as they so often completed one another's sentences, they were of one mind now, one body, and cried out in one voice.

Just before they drifted off to sleep, the man with all the words at his command whispered, simply, "I love you, Katherine Beckett." .

"And I love you, too, Richard Castle"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Beckett woke in the gray pre-dawn light with a smile. She'd had the most wonderful dream. In it, she and Castle had finally…but wait, it hadn't been a dream at all, had it, because he was there beside her, kissing her shoulder. That's what woke her. She rolled over in his arms and he stroked her cheek. She could just barely see the twinkle in his eyes. She reached around and started running her nails along his back, then lower. He chuckled and grabbed her hand. "Believe it or not, _that's_ not why I woke you so early, though I admire your positive attitude. Come, I want to show you something." He led her from the bed to the window seat, sat and pulled her against him, then pointed out the window. "Now just wait," he said. The sky was already turning a beautiful shade of pink, then orange, and a sliver of light became visible on the horizon. They sat and watched a dazzling sunrise. "Thanks, that was amazing," she said. "It's been too long since I stopped to appreciate things like that. I seem to always be either working, or sleeping because I worked late."

"You are most welcome," he said warmly, "I ordered it especially for you". So as not to give her the chance to comment on his egotism, he changed the subject. "However," he said, his gaze changing from warm-fuzzy to far less innocent "I believe you were about to try and have your way with me again?"

"I was, but the mood has passed…" She walked away out of his embrace and crossed the room, bending down slowly to retrieve her nightgown from the floor. She looked over her shoulder at him sitting there, slack-jawed and a little depressed. "You're not seriously gonna do this to me _again_, this will be the second time in less than 8 hours" he whined, then cocked his head as she started giggling. "Ohhhh" he growled, crossing the room in three strides. "I was right, you ARE a tease!" She let him drag her back into bed.

A few hours later they decided to get up and make breakfast together. Down in the kitchen, they talked about plans for the day. They decided to keep things low key, since the previous day had been so busy.

He invited her on a stroll down the beach. As they were approaching the house on the return trip, Kate noticed something that had not been there before. There was now a canvas cabana on the beach. "Where'd that come from?" she asked, her brow furrowing. "I asked the caretaker to get it out of storage and set it up for us. This way, if we want …privacy…, we have it," he replied. Inside the cabana were two chaise lounges, plus a stack of towels. There was also a tray with glasses and a pitcher of ice water.

Since it was getting pretty warm they decided that lounging on the beach was an excellent plan. They went inside to get changed into bathing suits. On the way back through the house, Kate stopped at a wall of bookcases, to see if there was anything good in Castle's library. It would be entirely too weird reading one of _his _ books with him sitting right there. Nothing jumped out at her, but she remembered she had seen a book on his nightstand and went up to get it. When she read the back cover, her eyes got wide. She put it back and went downstairs, grabbing a book at random from the first shelf. She went outside, where he was reclined in the lounger. "Sooooo" she said, causing him to jump. "The thrill master has to _read_ about female sexuality and erogenous zones? And here you had me believing it was all _first hand_ knowledge." She was gesturing with the book in her hand, and he was smiling, alternately watching her face and the waving book. "First of all, I didn't hear you complaining last night. There were some loud noises, but certainly not complaints. Second, speaking of reading about experiences as opposed to _having_ them, care to explain why _you _are reading 'Lady Chatterly's Lover' ?"

There was a small noise when her mouth closed, then she laughed along with him. She sat down on the other chair and lay back to relax and read. After a time he said he was going inside to prepare a snack for them.

Kate looked around, bit her lip trying to decide, then untied her bathing suit top. She arranged her chair so she could sunbathe. She closed her eyes and lay back, enjoying the hot prickling, then suddenly she felt cooler as a shadow fell across her. "You know," Castle said, his voice both amused and husky with desire "I would have been more than happy to put the sunblock on for you." Beckett's eyes flew open. She started to cover herself, which made his brow furrow. "Modesty, really? After last night and this morning?" he asked. She honestly was not sure herself at first, why she reacted that way. "I guess because we have been just playing cat and mouse for so long. It was a knee jerk reaction." "Well my reaction will come as no surprise." He put the snack tray to the side, then knelt beside her. They kissed and fondled for a while, building the tension. "You are _certain_ we have privacy?" she asked. He nodded, swallowing hard. She stood up and gestured for him to do the same. She slid her hands along his sides down to his hips, then peeled the Speedo off. She pushed him back to the lounge chair and pointed down. When he was sitting he reached up and pulled on her bathing suit bottom. When she was free of it she climbed into his lap. They rocked back and forth until they could take no more. She stiffened then collapsed on him. His release was only seconds later. "Oh baby" was all he could manage. She dozed against his chest without unjoining. In slumber, neither was aware of the strong beam of sunlight angling through the window of the cabana and falling across her exposed bottom.

Later she got up and wrapped herself in a towel, then fetched the snack tray. She sat back down on his lap. He took a piece of fruit and held it up to her lips. She accepted it with a smile. "Did you know that kissing is thought to have originated in the animal kingdom?" Castle asked. "No, do tell."

"Well, it is very common for the male to offer gifts of food to the female during the courtship. Since birds don't have hands, per se, the male give her a piece right out of his beak. It's his way to prove to her that he can keep her supplied with energy for, um, making babies". "Really…" she drew out. "That must be why the chocolate companies make out like bandits on Valentine's day.

"Exactly. So feel free to drop hints when you think you might require extra energy. I would be SO happy to accommodate you…" His hand had been on her back and drifted to caress her backside. "Oh honey, you are hot." "Thanks, Castle" she said, a little self conscious.

"No no, I didn't mean.. well, yes it's true if you take it that way but…for once that wasn't actually a come-on line. I mean you are physically hot. Stand up and let me see something." She did it, not convinced that this wasn't a creative bit of foreplay, particularly when he pulled the towel aside gently.

"Uh Oh. Evidently the parts of you that don't normally see the light of day have seen TOO much of it today. You, my darling, have a sunburned bottom. Come, let's go inside and get some aloe on it before it tightens up too much. He pulled his suit back on and led her inside.

Upstairs he started a cool bath for her, suggesting that she soak to draw some of the heat out. When she got out he found a bottle of aloe gel with anaesthetic in it. He asked her to lay down so he could apply it. He smoothed the cool gel on her sunburn, but far more sensually than she could have thought possible. He loaned her a pair of his boxers, as he figured all her underwear would fit too closely for comfort.

She put a sun dress over them and went downstairs, where he was cueing up a movie. They relaxed and ate popcorn, just at ease with one another. He paused the movie and excused himself. When the doorbell rang, she was surprised. She called out to him about it but he didn't seem to hear her. She shrugged and got up to open the door, getting the surprise of the year, at least. Standing before her on the doormat was James Patterson. Beside and behind him were Michael Connelly and Stephen Cannell.

"Where's Ricky? We're here for the poker game." James said. Speechless she stepped back to admit them.

"Kate? I thought I heard a voice. You didn't start the movie up again without me did…" Castle faltered as he came down the hall and saw… '_Crap, crap, crap, HOW could he have forgotten?' _

He recovered. "Guys! May I introduce the lovely Detective Kate Beckett. Kate, I gather from your stunned expression that you know who these gentlemen are?

She shook each of their hands in turn, still flabbergasted, for more than one reason. "May I speak to you for a moment, _Ricky_?" 'Uh oh' he thought. "Sure. Guys, make yourselves comfortable. We'll be right back"

She led him into the kitchen. "What the Hell, Castle? Was this your plan all along, get me out her knowing your buddies were dropping by, so you could show off your conquest? I bet you were even hoping they would show up while we were on the beach enjoying our '_privacy'. _She fumed at him.

She watched his expression for a tell, some sign of guilt. Instead she saw hurt and anger. "First, stop interrogating me like one of your suspects. I totally forgot I had invited them. Second, HOW could you think that I have so little respect for you. That hurts!" Kate was completely deflated by that. She had no idea why she had over reacted so badly.

"Oh Castle. I'm sorry." She ran her hand through her hair. "The only guess I have is that I was feeling a bit jealous at the thought of sharing you. Crazy, right?" She opened her arms for a hug. He accepted it. He could never stay angry at her.

"Come on, we'll grill some steaks and veggies, then have the game. You should sit in. I've seen what a mean player you are. I'm sure the guys won't mind."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Kate crossed her arms over her chest and eyed him."The guys YOU said would, what was it now 'eat me alive'? Which was after you threw out a perfectly good full house just so I could save face in front of Ryan, Esposito and the captain. Why were you protecting me then, but not now?"

He stared at her for a few beats, contemplating. "Well, I probably shouldn't admit this, particularly with them in the next room. But you played really well in that game. It was only luck that I drew the hand I ended up throwing. I figured if I let you near the game with my writer buddies, you would…show me up. Then you proved you weren't without mercy. After all, YOU threw the game when you could have beaten my pants off in front of the Mayor _and_ the judge, just so I wouldn't 'cry like a girl' "

"So, if I accept your invitation, is it just so I can make you look good again? There's that ego talking." She glared at him, daring him to take another step across a minefield of his own making.

He ran his hand through his hair. '_Crap, double crap_' "No, honey, that's not how I meant it. God, I am making a mess of this. Listen. They are my good friends. You are the dearest thing in my life. I think we can all have a fun evening. If you have a chance to beat me, go for it, and I will do the same. No favoritism, and we don't take it personally. Ok?"

She considered him for a moment. "Ok. But there is one more problem. I am a public servant, which puts me in a significantly lower tax bracket than the rest of you."

"Hmm that is a problem. Well we could play strip poker, but trust me, you DON'T wanna see those guys disrobe. No seriously, I can cover whatever you need." He held up his hand when she started to protest. "You can call it a loan, or a gift, whatever makes you more comfortable."

They prepared a tray of steak and vegetable skewers to bring out to the grill. Castle made his apologies to the writer trio for leaving them alone. He fixed another round of drinks then went out to grill the food. This left Kate alone with the gentlemen and suddenly she was intimidated again. But why should she be? She had faced down countless gun wielding thugs. How hard could it be to have a simple conversation with…three…best selling…writers…. She swallowed hard.

Patterson broke the ice. "So, you're the muse we've heard all about." Kate gave a self deprecating laugh. "I just go about my job, I have no idea why he finds me so fascinating."

"Maybe because you aren't star struck by him, and you don't put up with his crap" Cannell spoke up. "That is a real novelty, trust me. Very few people, women in particular, ever challenge him".

Castle brought in the cooked skewers, and they all sat down and ate. Afterward they cleared the table and Castle brought out the cards and chips. They arranged themselves around the table and Connelly dealt the first hand. Kate drew a weak first hand, and her replacement cards didn't help, all she had was a pair of fours. She folded and watched the men battle it out. Patterson took the first hand with 3 kings.

The second hand went better. She ended up with two pair, which was better than anyone else could do, and she raked in her chips. The third hand went to Cannell, the fourth to Castle, the fifth to Connelly. So far no one was clearly dominating. On the sixth hand, she drew a 3, 5 and 6 of clubs. She prayed for, and got, a 4 and a 7 of clubs. Straight FLUSH Now she was in it.

She reminded herself NOT to bite her lip or furrow her brow, signals Castle would read like one of his books. The raising went around the table, but on the second round, the 3 writers folded, each in turn. Now it was just the two of them again. She watched him as she raised again. There was a healthy pile of chips on the table now. And then she saw it. A few extra blinks. She remembered what his mother had said, and knew she had him. He said he would see her bet and raise another 300. She went all in. THAT's when she saw him tap his finger on his cards. He smiled, went all in. She knew she might be done for, but he would need a royal flush. She laid her pretty row of clubs on the table and waited. Castle hung his head and displayed….4 kings. Not enough. She whooped and collected her chips. Patterson actually clapped her on the back. "Nice to see someone take Ricky down a peg" he said. With Castle out, Beckett played against the others while he watched, secretly proud of her. She beat out Connelly and Patterson, but in the end lost to Cannell.

They all had Irish coffees before the writers called the car service to take them to a Bed and Breakfast down the road. As they left they shook Kate's hand.

When he closed the door he turned and regarded her. "How did you do it?" She chuckled, and said "You still do that blinking thing!"

Since her sunburn was still bothering her, she took another cool bath. Rick offered to apply more aloe gel so she lay down on the bed. "Oops, looks like this bottle is done. I know I have more in the downstairs bathroom, just wait here." She relaxed and waited, and in a few minutes she heard him enter the room again. He dimmed the lights and then moved around the room. She heard a peculiar clicking that she identified as a lighter once she smelled the scented candles.

"Ready?" he asked. She just nodded, then became aware of a wet hissing noise. Something cool hit her back and tush. Kate started to sit up in alarm, but Castle placed one hand on her shoulder, gently but firmly holding her in place. "Shhhhhh, just relax and enjoy," he said in a silky, seductive tone. The realization dawned a split second before she felt the wonderful sensation of his tongue on her back, replacing the coolness in a path down to her bottom. "I told you there was plenty of whipped cream, I am a man of my word" he said with a chuckle. He took his hand off her shoulder and offered the can to her. She decorated him in a similar manner, then licked it off. When she looked into his eyes, even in the flickering lights she could see the storm clouds of his desire there. She wanted him just as much, but was contemplating which position would cause her the least discomfort. Rick solved it for her, taking her in his arms and laying her down on her side, then lying down facing her. He reached down and grasped her leg behind the knee, then drew her leg to hook over his hip. Now she was open for him. They made love slowly and sweetly, but no less powerfully than before.

When it was over, Beckett pointed out that they were both sweaty and smeared with whipped cream. She led him to the shower, where the soaping up and rinsing process led to another coupling. Finally dried off, they went into her room, where he massaged the aloe on for her. She fell asleep right there, and Castle sat on the bed for long moments, just watching her, until he lay down beside her and drifted off, contemplating just how lucky he was.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Kate woke, securely wrapped in Rick's embrace. She shifted experimentally and found that her backside didn't hurt anymore. The cool water and aloe must have worked their magic. "Good morning!" he said. She realized that her fidgeting must have woken him. "So, what's in store for today?" she asked after they shared a kiss or two. "More surprises of course. You should get dressed, and then I am taking you out to breakfast. You should bring your bathing suit, and a long sleeve jacket if you have it."

Since Kate learned that trying to wheedle the information out of him was pointless, she agreed. She met him downstairs a short time later, carrying a canvas bag with the extra clothing items. They drove to a marina. They had breakfast in a restaurant with a lovely ocean view, then Castle escorted Beckett down among the boats, until he stopped at the ramp of a small yacht. He motioned gallantly toward the ship, even throwing in a tiny bow. She ascended the ramp and a crew member waiting at the top offered her his hand to step down onto the deck. Castle came up behind her and suggested that she have a look around. "Won't the captain mind?" she asked. With a wink, he said "If he does, I'll have to find his replacement." Kate's eyes widened as she took in his meaning. She hadn't had the opportunity to see the name of the ship because of the angle from which they had approached. But as she looked around she found a brass dedication plate. "Dream of the C" she read. 'C' for Castle. This was his yacht, as she suspected. He found her just staring at the horizon. "Would you like to sit up here on deck or down in the cabin?" he asked. She told him she'd prefer to take in the view for a while. They cruised along until lunchtime, when he escorted her below. A table had been set, and a vase held a few fresh flowers. They were served lunch, then after dessert, the steward discreetly vanished. Rick withdrew a remote control from his pocket and pressed a button. Romantic music filled the cabin. He stood and held out his hand. "Dance with me again?" Kate smiled and nodded. They danced a few songs. He stepped back and regarded her. "Would you like to go for a swim to cool off?" he asked.

"That sounds really good, actually!" she responded. He flipped a switch to activate an intercom and told the captain to drop anchor. They both got changed into their bathing suits and went up on deck. Kate dove into the water and gasped at the shock of the cold. Castle dove in next to her, splashing her. They played around a little, then climbed the ladder and lay down on the benches to get warm and dry.

The boat headed back to the marina and docked, and they drove back to the house. Kate offered to cook their dinner, and prepared a lasagna. After dinner they sat on the patio and Castle started a fire in a copper kettle type outdoor fire place. They roasted marshmallows and made s'mores. More than once, they found themselves lost in one another's eyes in the flickering firelight. Rick excused himself and hurried back into the house. He returned with an armload of blankets, which he spread out on the patio next to the fireplace. He beckoned her over. He made love to her again, there under the stars, and when they were done, he cradled her face in his hands. "Thank you" he said. When she blushed, he said "No, not for this, though it was incredible. No, thank you for taking a chance on me. I know it must have been tough, I have been flirting with you forever, it would have been easy not to take me seriously."

"I'm glad I took the leap, too. Just one thing worries me, and believe me, I am not saying this because I am ashamed of what has happened here. Obviously our little team knows there has been a development. But I would prefer to keep my private life separate from work." She held up her hand when he started looking crestfallen. "I still want you around, if you still want to come and help. We DO make a good team, but Esposito was probably right when he said you have done ample research by now. I am still a cop, there is still going to be danger. I don't want you trying to talk me out of dangerous assignments just because you will worry. I could be just as tempted to bench you to keep you out of danger, and I would be within my rights because Mayor buddy or not, you are still a civilian.

Also, like any workplace relationship, we need to be professional. There will be plenty of time for touchy feely off the clock. We need to keep that stuff AND any personal disagreements we have OUT of the squad room. Do we have an understanding?" she asked.

He could only nod and smile. "Esposito said what?"

"UGH were you even listening to the rest of what I said?"she asked, exasperated.

"Yes, Detective Beckett, I fully understand. Now, let's get to bed, because in the morning we have to pack up and head back to reality.

In the morning they packed their bags and took a car service to the airport, where they took a jet back to NYC, back to the real world.


End file.
